Beijing, Lhasa, Shigatse, Chengdu,
Guilin, Yangshuo, Shanghai Tour Package
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Tibet
Tour for Tibet Culture
Beijing,
Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse, Chengdu, Guilin, Yangshuo,
Shanghai
19 days 18 nights Luxury tour
Highlights:
• This luxury tour, along with the best hotels
and dining possible, will take you to Lhasa, the
capital of Tibet, and home to the Potala Palace
and the Jokhang monastery (which is the holiest
monastery in Tibet). You’ll also Gyantse and
Shigatse. They are more remote than Lhasa, but
because of its remoteness, they can offer the
grand scene and nature of the Tibetan Region.
How wonderful it is to be on top of most of the
world!
• A two-thousand-year history leaves Chengdu,
the capital of Sichuan with numerous historical
places of interest. Fertile lands and a
favorable climate endow the city with
picturesque surrounding scenic landscapes.
During your stay in Chengdu you will get to
visit a sanctuary of that emblem of China, the
Giant Panda
• Cruise down the Li River, China’s most
picturesque and serene river, while also taking
in the natural wonders and the local fisherman
and farmers doing their daily chores
• This tour also includes a visit to the two top
cities of China, Beijing and Shanghai. Beijing,
China’s capital city, is home to the Forbidden
City as well as much of the Great Wall, and
Shanghai, China’s biggest city is China’s window
to the west as well as one of the most vibrant
places on earth!
Standard
Tour and Luxury Tour Packages Available.
B=(Breakfast) L=(lunch) D=(dinner) DEPARTURE:
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Tour code:
P-CLGS |
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| DAY 01 |
arrive in Beijing
Upon arrival at the Beijing airport, you
will be me by your local
English-speaking guide, and he/she will
take you to your hotel, the Beijing
International Hotel, a 5 star hotel
located in downtown Beijing. If time
permits, we can get started with some
sightseeing, but if not, you are free to
spend the night at your own leisure, and
resting up for the days ahead.
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Beijing International Hotel  |
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| DAY 02 |
Beijing (B, L, D)
After breakfast in the hotel, we’ll make
the short drive outside the city to the
Great Wall at Badaling. Badaling was the
first section of the Great Wall to be
opened to the public in 1957, and is
therefore the best known among visitors.
Badaling was the site of U.S.
President’s Richard Nixon’s visit to the Great Wall on his historic trip to
China, and is a popular choice for
celebrities, foreign dignitaries and
leaders (U.S. President Obama visited
Badaling in November of 2009). Badaling
also offers incredible views of the wall
winding and twisting along the hills.
After a delicious lunch we will make the
short journey by minibus to the Ming
Tombs.
The Ming Tombs, about 50 km/31 miles
from Beijing, are where 13 emperors of
the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) are buried.
This site was carefully chosen for its
feng shui principles by the third Ming
emperor Yongle (who also moved the
capital from Nanjing to Beijing and
began construction on the Forbidden
City). The tomb we will visit, Dingling,
is the tomb of the Wanli Emperor. It is
the only one of the Ming Dynasty Tombs
to have been excavated. It also remains
the only imperial tomb to have been
excavated since the founding of the
People's Republic of China. After
viewing the tombs, we will head to the “Shenlu”,
or the Spirit Way. The Spirit Way leads
into the complex, lined with statues of
guardian animals and officials, with a
front gate consisting of a three-arches,
painted red, and called the "Great Red
Gate". The Spirit Way, or Sacred Way,
starts with a huge stone memorial
archway lying at the front of the area.
Constructed in 1540, during the Ming
Dynasty, this archway is one of the
biggest stone archways in China today.
For the evening you will enjoy a
delectable dinner of Peking Duck,
Beijing’s signature culinary dish. Then,
for the evening’s entertainment, you
will be able to watch Beijing Opera
(sometimes known as Peking Opera).
Beijing Opera of China is a national
treasure with a history of 200 years. In
the 55th year of the reign of Emperor
Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1790), the
four big Huiban opera Troupes entered
the capital and combined with Kunqu
opera, Yiyang opera, Hanju opera and
Luantan in Beijing's theoretical circle
of the time. Over a period of more than
half a century of combination and
integration of various kinds of opera
there evolved the present Beijing Opera.
Beijing Opera is the most significant of
all operas in China, and it has a
richness of repertoire, great number of
artists and audiences, that give it a
profound influence in China and plays a
large role in Chinese culture.
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Beijing International Hotel |
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| DAY 03 |
Beijing (B, L, D)
After breakfast in the hotel we will
head over to the center of Beijing, Tiananmen Square. The largest public
square in the world, Tiananmen Square is
seen as China’s political center. Its
grounds have seen some turbulent
moments, from the May 4th Movement of
1919 to the political turmoil of 1989.
The south of the square is marked by the
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, while the
center of the square is dominated by the
Monument to the People’s Heroes, an
imposing 10-story granite obelisk. To
the east is the National Museum of
China, and to the west is the Great Hall
of the People, home to China’s
legislative bodies. The north of the
square is dominated by the Gate of
Heavenly Peace, known for its iconic
portrait of Mao Zedong, and is the
national emblem of China.
After walking across the street, we will
enter what is perhaps the greatest
attraction in China, the Forbidden City.
After walking across the square we will
enter the Forbidden City (known in
Chinese as Gu Gong), the largest
surviving palace complex and the former
home of the emperors of the Ming and
Qing Dynasty. The Forbidden City is one
of the greatest attractions in the
world. Built by the third Ming emperor
between 1406-1422, the Forbidden City
served as the official residence to the
Emperor of China until the last emperor,
Puyi, was forced to evacuate in 1924.
The Forbidden City is divided into two
parts. The southern section, or the
Outer Court was where the emperor
exercised his supreme power over the
nation. The northern section, or the
Inner Court was where he lived with his
royal family. Consisting of 980
buildings and with 8,707 bays of rooms,
the Forbidden City is the best example
of classical Chinese architecture in the
world, and is a wonder to behold.
To continue our theme of imperial
royalty, we’ll go from the Forbidden
City to the royal family’s retreat from
the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace.
Being northwest of the city center, the
Summer Palace has the largest royal park
and being well preserved, the Summer
Palace is ranked amongst the most noted
and classical gardens of the world. In
1998, UNESCO listed it as one of the
World Heritage Sites. Like most of the
gardens of Beijing, it could not elude
the rampages of the Anglo-French allied
force of 1860 and was destroyed by fire.
In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled
navy funds to reconstruct it for her own
benefit, changing its name to Summer
Palace (Yiheyuan). She spent most of her
later years there, dealing with state
affairs and entertaining.
Highlights not to be missed are climbing
Longevity Hill, viewing the Empress
Dowager Cixi’s extravagant Marble Boat,
and talking a walk down Suzhou jie, a
canal meant to resemble the beautiful
river city of Suzhou.
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Beijing International Hotel |
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| DAY 04 |
Beijing-Chengdu (B, L)
Following breakfast we’ll make the short
drive to the Temple of Heaven park. The
complex was visited by the Emperors of
the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual
ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good
harvest. The Temple of Heaven park is
best known for the Hall of Prayer for
Good Harvests, an iconic building famed
for its magnificent triple-gabled
circular roof. You will also have an
opportunity to walk the same imperial
walkway that the same emperors walked
hundreds of years ago in their holy
rites. You will also see Beijing’s
senior citizens using the park grounds
for everything from tai chi and ballroom
dancing to bullwhip practice!
In the afternoon, you’ll be taken to the
airport, and you will fly on to Chengdu,
the capital of Sichuan province in
southwest China. Upon arrival you’ll be
met at the airport by your local
English-speaking guide. For your stay in
Chengdu you will be lodging at the 5
Wangjiang Hotel.
You will be able to get in a little
touring after you arrive, and we’ll
drive a little bit outside the city in
order to visit the Sanxingdui Museum.
Sanxingdui is a large archeological site
of a recently discovered enigmatic
Bronze-age civilization. Chinese
archeologists discovered this
civilization in 1986. The site is
located in Sichuan province about 40
kilometers northeast of Chengdu and
about 10 kilometers east of the city of
Guanghan.
The site is important archeologically.
The civilization had high bronze casting
technology, and they were able to make
unusually large and finely crafted
bronze objects. Task Rosen of the
British Museum in London considered the
bronze relics to be more outstanding
than the Terracotta Army in Xi’an. The
world's oldest life-size standing human
statue that is 260 centimeters tall and
weighs 180 kilograms was unearthed there
with a bronze tree with birds, flowers,
and ornaments that is about 4 meters
tall. Sanxingdui Museum was opened in
1997. It is a large, modern
archeological museum with an exhibition
area of 4,000 square meters. Visitors to
the archeological site and the museum
will see artifacts discovered at the
site that date from the Neolithic age of
6,000 BC through to the Shang and Zhou
periods of 1,600 BC until 700 BC, and
they will learn about the various
peoples who had lived there.
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Wangjiang Hotel, Chengdu |
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| DAY 05 |
Chengdu (B, L)
Sichuan is home to the world’s cutest
and most beloved endangered animal, the
Panda, and no trip to Chengdu is
complete without seeing these national
treasures. After an early morning start,
we will visit the Bifeng Gorge Panda
Reserve. In the May 12th 2008 the
Wenchuan Earthquake dealt the pandas a
crushing blow and over fifty giant
pandas living in captivity became
completely homeless. In order to save
these national treasures, the Wolong National Natural Reserve has, since May
15th, carried out an evacuation plan.
Twenty-seven giant pandas were
transferred in batches to Chengdu,
Fuzhou and Beijng, and the rest were
moved to Bifeng Gorge Base of China
Panda Protection and Research Center,
located in the northern suburbs of
Chengdu.
The pandas are assured of healthy growth
in their new home, and good news
continually flows from Bifeng Gorge
Base. In the morning on July 6th, 2008,
the panda "Guo Guo" gave birth to the
first twin cubs in the base. Guo Guo,
the great panda mother, came to the base
on June 24th when she was 119 days
pregnant. She was really strong and
brave to have these baby pandas after
surviving the big earthquake, overcoming
the difficulties of bumping and shaking
on the long journey, and adjusting
herself to the new environment. The
center is divided into the giant panda
breeding zone, baby giant panda care
zone, research center, bamboo woods and
office area.
The rest of the night is up to your own
leisure. From traditional teahouses,
theaters to modern pubs and clubs,
Chengdu people know how to enjoy the
night. Every corner in Chengdu offers
the warmest welcome, and you are sure to
find something to pique your interest
during your time on the town.
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Wangjiang Hotel, Chengdu |
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| DAY 06 |
Chengdu-Lhasa (B, L, D)
Following breakfast, you’ll be driven to
the Chengdu airport, and you’ll make the
short flight into the neighboring region
of Tibet, where you’ll fly to Lhasa,
Tibet’s capital. Upon arrival you’ll be
met by your local guide, and you’ll be
driven to your hotel, the 5 star
Brahmaptura Hotel, which is the best
hotel in Lhasa (and all of Tibet). The
altitude here is at 3,650 meters above
sea level, so you might want to use the
day to relax and adjust yourself to the
sharp change in altitude. For dinner, a
famous local restaurant will arrange for
you an a la carte dinner of Tibetan
cuisine.
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Brahmaputra Grand Hotel. Lhasa
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| DAY 07 |
Lhasa (B, L, D)
Today will be a full day of touring the
best sights in Lhasa. After breakfast,
we will go to the Potala Palace, which
is the most renowned highlight of Lhasa.
The world famous Potala Palace is
located on Moburi (Red) Mountain, to the
west of old Lhasa. It is a huge treasure
house of materials and articles from
Tibetan history, religion, culture and
art. The palace is widely known for the
precious sculptures, murals, scriptures,
Buddha statues, murals, antiques, and
religious jewelry housed within. They
are of great cultural and artistic
value. In 1994, the Potala Palace was
declared a UNESCO World Cultural
Heritage Site. It was originally built
in the 640s, during the reign of King
Songtsan Gampo of Tibet. The Potala has
been a sacred place for hundreds of
years. Thousands of pilgrims from Tibet,
other parts of China and abroad come
every year to pay homage. Their devotion
is shown by the difficult journeys they
have to make to reach “the City of the
Gods".
Then we will head over to the Sera
Monastery, the last of the three
principal Gelupka, or Yellow Hat,
Buddhist monasteries to be built in
Lhasa. The Sera Monastery has been
listed as one of the China's National
Cultural Relics since 1982. Sera
comprises a great sutra chanting hall, a
college and 32 sections. It once housed
nearly 10,000 monks, and is proud of its
glorious history during the Ming Dynasty
(1368-1644). Sera means hailstone in
Tibetan, and legend tells that it hailed
during the foundation of this famous
monastery.
In the afternoon we will get to visit
Norbulingka, Tibet’s Summer Palace.
Norbulingka was built in 1755 and became
the place where the successors of the
seventh Dalai Lama dealt with affairs,
held celebrations, spent the hot season,
rested and conducted religious
activities. In mid-March every year, the
Dalai Lama would move here from the
Potala Palace, and stay until the end of
October, when he would return to the
Potala Palace. So, Norbulingka is called
the Summer Palace and the Potala Palace
the Winter Palace. The garden covers an
area of 46 acres (19 hectares) and the
palace has 370 rooms of different sizes.
In the garden visitors can worship
Buddha, relax and study the
Tibetan-style palaces.
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Brahmaputra Grand Hotel. Lhasa
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| DAY 08 |
Lhasa (B, L)
Following breakfast in the morning we
will visit the Jokhnag Temple. Located
in the center of old Lhasa city, Jokhang
Monastery is the prime seat of the
Gelugpa (Yellow) Branch of Tibetan
Buddhism. It was originally built in 647
AD. It is said the site was chosen
personally by the wife of King Songtsan
Gampo, the Tang Princess Wen Cheng. The
princess perceived Wutang, a lake in
Lhasa, to be a “devil’s heart”, a source
of evil, and had it filled in and the
temple built on the site to counteract
evil forces. It was built by craftsmen
from Tibet, China and Nepal and thus
features different architectural styles.
Jokhang means "House of Buddha". Jokhang
Temple is the spiritual center of Tibet
and the holiest destination for all
Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims.
A short walk from the Jokhang Temple is
the Barkhor Bazaar. The Barkhor
(pilgrims’ circuit) is found in the
heart of Lhasa encircling the Jokhang
Temple. It is the earliest remaining
street in Lhasa. It bustles with
activity and is always jam-packed with
traders and hawkers. It is a "must" for
souvenir-hunting tourists. Many people
call the Barkhor "the window of Tibet"
as it exhibits a typical Tibetan life.
The old circumambulation circuit is
always crowded with pilgrims from
everywhere. Some are monks, and some are
businessmen from Kham, a region
encompassing East Tibet and part of
Sichuan Province. Here you will find
people from all over Tibet. You can
experience different styles of dress and
languages. Even the similar-looking
clothes of the monks vary depending on
the different branches of Buddhism they
practice.
Following our walk through the Barkhor
Bazaar we will pay a visit to the
unusual and fascinating Tibetan
Medicinal an Astrological Institute. The
central herbal and traditional medicine
centre in Tibet, the Institute treats
around 500 patients/day (up to 1000 in
winter). This is a fascinating
introduction to Tibetan medicine, the
‘tree thangkas’ and traditions over 2000
years old that are still working today.
As you may know, Tibet has had an
interesting and turbulent history. We
will attempt to learn more about Tibet’s
past at the Tibet Museum. An attractive
modern building in Tibetan style,
there’s a wonderful variety and quality
of items on display here illustrating
the rich history, traditions and customs
of Tibet, both ancient and modern.
Next we’ll browse one of the signature
products coming from Tibet, carpets, at
the Lhasa Carpet Factory. The Lhasa
Carpet Factory produces traditional
Tibetan rugs that are exported worldwide
through Guangzhou. Although the actual
weaving and finishing is done by hand
using old-style vertical looms, many of
the stages of the process are now
mechanized and the dyeing is not done at
the factory. It is a modern factory; the
largest manufacturer of rugs throughout
Tibet employing some 300 workers.
Traditionally Tibetan women were the
weavers, men the spinners, but both work
on the rugs today.
The factory has developed into the most
productive in the Tibet Autonomous
Region with an annual output of 30,000
miles of carpet. The rugs manufactured
in Lhasa are typically smaller with bold
designs and bright colors and a deep
even, pile -about 60knots per square
inch. Rug weaving is an ancient craft in
Tibet but because it was not for sacred
purposes it is not considered an art. As
a result there are no rugs verifiable
earlier than 1800.
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Brahmaputra Grand Hotel. Lhasa
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| DAY 09 |
Lhasa-Gyantse (B, L, D)
Following breakfast we will make our way
to Gyantse, which is 254 km southwest of
Lhasa. The drive will be anything but
dull though, as we’ll stop for a quick
visit at Yamdrok Lake, one of three
sacred lakes in Tibet and is surrounded
by many snow-capped mountains and is fed
by numerous small streams.
Then we’ll stop at the Karola Glacier
before reaching Gyantse. Although now it
is a mid-level town, Gyantse used to be
the third largest city in Tibet, but now
there are at least ten cities bigger.
For the evening we will stay best hotel
available, and dinner will be made up of
the local cuisine.
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local best hotel |
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| DAY 10 |
Gyantse-Shigatse (B, L, D)
After breakfast we will make the short
drive to Shigatse, the second largest
city in Tibet, where the region’s most
fertile land can be found. When we reach
Shigatse, we’ll visit the Palcho
Monastery (aka the Pelkor Choede).
Pelkhor Choede enjoys a high status in
Tibet Buddhism history because it houses
three sects - Sakyapa, Kadampa and
Gelugpa together. Those three sects get
along well with each other though they
once quarreled and fought. The Bodhi
Dagoba, the Main Assembly Hall, murals
and Zhacang (hall for the monks) in the
monastery are the most renowned.
The Bodhi Dagoba about 32 meters (105
feet) high is a nine-tier building which
has 108 gates, and 76 chapels and
shrines. It is the symbol of the Pelkhor
Choede. In Tibetan, the Bodhi Dagoba is
called 'Kumbum'. It also has another
name 'Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda'. About
ten thousand figures of Buddha are
celebrated in the chapels, shrines or as
murals in the pagoda, hence its name.
The pagoda comprises nearly one hundred
chapels which overlap one another.
People call this kind of structure
'tower upon tower'.
The Main Assembly Hall has a history of
about five hundred years. In Tibetan, it
is called 'Tshomchen'. It is a
three-storied building. On the first
floor are the Main Chapel, Eastern and
Western Chapels, and the cloister. In
the Main Chapel is the bronze statue of
Sakyamuni with a height of nearly eight
meters (26 feet). It is said that about
14,000 kilograms (30,865 pounds) of
copper were used to build the statue.
Built with 48 columns, the chapel is
decorated with numerous silk 'Thangkas'.
On the second floor, Manjusri
Bodhisattva, White Tara and Arhats are
enshrined in the chapels. The eighteen-Arhat
clay sculptures in the Arhat chapel are
renowned in Tibet. On the third floor,
Amitabha Buddha, Dakinis and esoteric
Buddhism murals are displayed in the
chapels.
Murals in the Monastery are also well
known. These murals mainly relate to
Esoteric and Exoteric Buddhism, and
stories about the Buddhas. Tourists will
find them almost everywhere in the
monastery. Zhacang refers to the rooms
where the monks live. Each sect has
their own Zhacang in the monastery.
For the evening, we will stay in the
best hotel that Shigatse has to offer.
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local best hotel |
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| DAY 11 |
Shigatse (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we’ll set out on a full
day of exploring this wonderful and
charming little city. Our first stop
will be at the Tshilunpo Monastery,
which is located on the southern slope
of the Nyima Mountain to the west of the
Shigatse city. It represents the Tibetan
super architecture art in the Last
Tibetan spirit. The monastery attracts
thousands of Buddhists and tourists from
domestic and abroad to travel and
worship every year. Driving on the road
far away from Shigatse, from the west
city you can see the gold roof of
Tashilunpo Monastery shinning under the
sunshine. Experiencing five centuries,
it still maintains the magnificent
vigor. Tashilhunpo Monastery (meaning
auspicious) is one of the Six Big
Monasteries of Gelugpa (or Yellow Hat
Sect) in China and the biggest Tibetan
Gelugpa Buddhism monastery in back Tibet
area. Also called the Heap of Glory, the
monastery is located at the foot of
Drolmari (Tara's Mountain), Shigatse.
Then we will head on over to the New
Palace of Panchen. It is famous as the
summer palace of the tenth Panchen Lama
(1938-1989). It majestically blends both
traditional and modern architectural
styles.Green plants cover the palace,
creating a natural and peaceful
environment.
There are three gates of the New Palace
of Panchen.The first gate has four red
poles supporting the eaves.Noted for
their great artistry and beauty, they
are adorned with carvings of Buddhist
stories and figures including images of
fierce wild beasts, flying dragons and a
variety of floral patterns.After passing
through the first gate you will continue
on a gravel path to the second gate
which spans a quadrangle. After
traversing the second gate you will see
the magnificent palace.Entering the
third gate, visitors can view the palace
interior, including the Panchen Lama
bedrooms, drawing rooms, sutra hall,
Buddha hall and Buddhist Guardian Hall.
The palace houses a number of precious
cultural relics including spectacular
frescos. The most famous fresco is 'Phakpa
Meeting Kublai Khan', depicting Lama
Chogyal Phakpa (1235-1280 AD) joining
the court of Kublai Khan (1215-1294 AD)
as imperial spiritual teacher.
We’ll cap off our time in Shigatse with
a stroll through the Gyangtse Carpet
Factory. Made from the pure Tibetan
wools that are especially thick, strong
and resilient, the heat-preserving,
waterproof and durable carpets are a
necessity for the cold plateau climate
there. They are very delicately made and
always feel soft to touch. The color is
gorgeous and does not easily fade. The
patterns and flowers on the carpets are
especially beautiful. The traditional
designs mainly replicate the murals in
temples, including dragons, phoenixes,
flowers, grasses, birds, animals and
landscape pictures. Recently,
embroideries of some great projects such
as the Potala Palace, Mt. Everest and
Great Wall of China have been added. So
it is no wonder many of these carpets
are collected and displayed as curios.
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local best hotel |
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| DAY 12 |
Shigatse-Lhasa-Chengdu (B, L, D)
In the morning we will make the drive
back to Lhasa, and from there you’ll be
taken to the airport, where you will fly
on to Chengdu, the capital of
neighboring Sichuan province.
Upon arrival in Chengdu you’ll be met by
your local English-speaking guide, and
you’ll be taken to your lodging, the 5
star Jinjiang Hotel.
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Jinjiang Hotel, Chengdu |
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| DAY 13 |
Chengdu (B, L, D)
Today we will take a short drive outside
of Chengdu to visit Mt. Emei. We will
spend our day here. It is one of the
most well-known summer destinations in
China thanks to its pleasant weather,
congenial atmosphere, the inspiring
natural scenery and the influence of the
Buddhist culture. The mountain is
characterized by lofty ancient trees,
impressive waterfalls, pristine brooks
and numerous Buddhist temples. Mt. Emei
is a sacred Buddhist haven. It is one of
the four most divine Buddhism Mountains
in China. This Buddhist legacy mainly
contained in the numerous temples and
the buildings bears witness to the
unusual historical role of the mountain
in Buddhism development since the
religion was introduced to China over
2,000 years ago.
Here are some of the highlights we will
experience on Mt. Emei:
Baoguo Temple: The Baoguo Temple at the
foot of the Mt. Emei is the largest
temple on the Mt. Emei and the starting
point for taking a tour of the Mt. Emei.
The temple was built during the years of
Wanli period in the Ming Dynasty. The
horizontal tablet of "Baoguo Temple" was
written by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing
Dynasty. It is the place where the Mt.
Emei Buddhist Society is located. The
Baoguo Temple is originally named
Huizong Hall, which has the meaning of
blending the three religions of
Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism into
one. Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty
granted the name of "Baoguo Temple",
which adopts the meaning that dedicating
to the service of the country comes
first in "repaying four kindness" in the
sutra.
Gold Summit: The number of the Buddhist
temples dotting the mountain is quite
inspiring but the views from the Golden
Summit at an elevation of 3,077 meters
above sea level steals the glory. The
Gold Summit is an extravagance of
natural wonders and Buddhism
spiritualism, which comprise of four
marvelous spectacles of Sunrise, Cloud
Sea, Buddhist Light and sacred lamp. The
scenery of a red glowing sun dancing
over the sea of clouds in the east is
fabulous. A few lucky visitors will
encounter the Buddhist Light which only
occurs 14 times a year. On these
occasions, your shadow is cast before
you in the mist and a colorfully glowing
lights circle you as if you are attained
enlightenment.
Fuhu Temple: At the foot of Fuhu Hill,
Fuhu Temple is located one kilometer
west of Baoguo Temple and is one of the
largest in the mountain area. It was
rebuilt in 1651, the eighth year of the
reign of Qing Emperor Shunzhi. It covers
an area of 13,000 square meters and
isaccessible from the highway.
"Crouching Tiger Monastery", as it is
known in Chinese, is sunk in the forest.
Inside is a seven-meter-high copper
pagoda inscribed with Buddhist images
and texts. Fuhu Temple, the biggest
Buddhist temple on the mountain, has 13
halls. In the temple, a 6-meter
17-storeyed bronze tower made in the
Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368) has some 4,700
engraved Buddhist figurines on it. The
20,000-character Huayan Sutras are well
preserved in the temple.
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Jinjiang Hotel, Chengdu |
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| DAY 14 |
Chengdu (B, L, D)
Before leaving for your Li River cruise,
you’ll spend another day exploring the
sights of the Sichaun capital. After
breakfast we’ll head over to the Wuhou
Memorial Temple, which is located in
Chengdu’s south suburbs. It is the most
famous and influential of the temples
dedicated to Zhuge Liang who lived from
181 until 234 AD. He is one of China’s
famous historic figures, and he was a
renowned minister and military
strategist for Emperor Liu Bei (161-223)
of the Shu Kingdom during the Three
Kingdoms period in China. The temple is
also dedicated to Emperor Liu Bei. It
was built during the Qing dynasty in
1672. Because Zhuge Liang was granted
the title of “Wuxiang Hou” (Marquis
Wuxiang) in his lifetime, this temple is
known as the Wuhou Memorial Temple. The
temple is one of Chengdu’s major
attractions and contains numerous
statues to Emperor Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang
and other officials of the Shu Kingdom,
and there are ancient inscriptions and
tablets that are famous in China.
You’ll next learn more about Chengdu’s
history at Dufu’s Thatched Cottage, a
museum and memorial for Dufu (712-770
AD). He is one of China’s most famous
poets, and he lived during the Tang
Dynasty. The memorial is located in a 24
acre (97,000 square meter) park by the
side of a stream called the Huanhua in
Chengdu’s western suburb. Dufu resided
in a thatched cottage at the site where
he took refuge in Chengdu during a war.
The memorial originated as a temple
dedicated to Dufu that was built about a
thousand years ago during the Song
Dynasty. The park contains a recreation
of his cottage, what is suspected to be
the remains of the original cottage, and
ancient temples and structures. A large
beautiful garden surrounds the
structures.
The evening can be spent at your own
leisure, and you can use your time to
walk and explore Chengdu’s numerous
cafes and teahouses, of which Chengdu is
renowned for.
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Jinjiang Hotel, Chengdu |
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| DAY 15 |
Chengdu-Guilin (B, L)
In the morning, you will be taken to the
airport, and you will fly to Guilin, the
capital of Guangxi province, and the
starting point of your Li River Cruise.
You’ll be met by your English-speaking
guide upon arrival, and you will stay at
the 5 star Merryland Resort, which is
located downtown.
You’ll get in a bit of sightseeing today
by visiting the Reed Flute Cave. The
Reed Flute Cave (Ludi Yan) is a
fascinating gallery of natural sculpture
(limestone cave formations), now
enhanced by multicolored lighting, which
has been one of Guilin’s many
interesting attractions for over 1200
years. It rates as one of the top four
tourist sites in the city. The cave is
about 240 meters long and a tour lasts
about one hour. Along the u-shaped
route, you will have ample time see the
oddly shaped rocks and stone pillars
while the guide narrates interesting
stories about them. Illuminated by the
colored lights, the cave looks like a
dazzling underground palace. That’s why
the cave is also known as the Nature’s
Art Palace.
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Merryland Resort Hotel, Guilin
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| DAY 16 |
Guilin-Li River Cruise-Yangshuo-Guilin
(B, L)
Today you will be cruising down one of
the world’s most stunning rivers, the
Li. Gorgeous karst peaks give you
surprises at each bend of the limpid
river under the blue sky. Water buffalo
patrol the fields, peasants reap rice
paddies, school kids and fisherman float
by on bamboo rafts. With its
breathtaking scenery and taste of a life
far removed from the concrete
metropolis, the scenery along the Li
River become one of China's top tourist
destinations. Some of the highlights you
will see on your 7-8hour cruise will be
Elephant Trunk Hill, a hill resembling
an Elephant taking water from its trunk,
Pagoda Hill, just a few minutes away
from the Elephant Trunk Hill, Daxu Town,
an ancient river town, and of course you
will also see local fisherman and
workers over their normal course of
work. The cruise down the Li River
offers a fascinating insight into the
lives of the local population here.
Our cruise will terminate at Yangshuo, a
lush and exotic county that is
surrounded by mountains and a place that
includes ethnic groups from all over
Asia. In the afternoon we will rent
bikes and ride onto the country roads,
lanes, and tracks, through the paddy
fields orchards that surround the misty
mountains. You will also have the chance
to visit the home of a local farmer, and
from this you’ll learn about what local
life is like in these parts.
In the evening we will make the drive
back to Guilin, and you will again stay
at the Merryland Resort Hotel.
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Merryland Resort Hotel, Guilin
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| DAY 17 |
Guilin-Shanghai (B, L)
You’ll be taken to the Guilin airport,
where you will fly on to Shanghai. When
you arrive you’ll be met by your guide,
and you’ll be transferred to your hotel,
the 5 star Grand Pacific Hotel.
After a bit of relaxing at the hotel,
your first stop on today’s touring will
be the Bund, Shanghai’s most famous and
recognizable landmark. The Bund is a
waterfront embankment and has been
regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for
hundreds of years. It affords marvelous
views across the river of the Pudong
district and its numerous towers. The
most famous and attractive sight which
is at the west side of the Bund are the
52 various buildings of different
architectural styles including Gothic,
Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the
Renaissance.
Across the river we’ll visit he Oriental
Pearl TV Tower, the most distinctive
landmark of the Shanghai skyline. From
the top of the tower you can get
marvelous views of the Bund and the east
bank of Shanghai.
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Holiday Inn Downtown
Shanghai |
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| DAY 18 |
Shanghai (B, L, D)
Following breakfast, we’ll start our day
in Shanghai with a visit to the Jade
Buddha Temple. The Jade Buddha Temple is
one of the richest and most frequented
Buddhist Temples in Shanghai. Jade
Buddha Temple in Shanghai is an active
temple, with 70 resident monks at the
last count. The 70 monks who live and
work there can sometimes be seen
worshiping. inside, the centerpiece is a
1.9-meter-high white jade Buddha, which
was installed here after a monk brought
it from Burma to Zhejiang Province in
1882. The seated Buddha, encrusted with
jewels, is said to weigh about one
thousand kilograms. A smaller, reclining
Buddha from the same shipment lies on a
redwood bed. In the large hall are three
gold-plated Buddhas, and other halls
house ferocious-looking deities.
Artifacts abound, not all on display,
and some 7,000 Buddhist sutras line the
walls.
Afterward you’ll have a chance to stroll
along Yuyuan Garden. Yuyuan Garden is a
famed classical garden, and even though
it may be small, it contains numerous
pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and
cloisters, and all have unique
characteristics. There are six main
scenic areas in the garden: Sansui Hall,
Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing
Hall, Yuhua Hall and the Inner Garden.
Each area features several scenic spots
within its borders.
Following a Chinese lunch we’ll cap off
our day of touring with a visit to the
city premier museum, the Shanghai
Museum. The Shanghai Museum is a world
famous museum of ancient Chinese art and
culture. The exterior design of the
round dome and the square base
symbolizes the ancient idea of a round
heaven and a square land. The museum is
divided into eleven galleries and three
exhibition halls. The eleven Galleries
cover most of the major categories of
Chinese art: Ancient Bronze, Ancient
Ceramics, Paintings, Calligraphy,
Ancient Sculpture, Ancient Jade, Coins,
Ming and Qing Furniture, Seals, and
Minority Nationalities. The museum is a
wonderful primer on ancient Chinese
culture, and is a must-see when coming
to Shanghai.
In the evening in addition to a splendid
dinner if Shanghai cuisine, you’ll be
treated to a performance of Chinese
acrobatics.
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Holiday Inn Downtown
Shanghai |
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| DAY 19 |
depart Shanghai (B)
Following your breakfast, you’ll be
taken to the airport, and you will fly
on to your next destination, ending your
nearly three week journey through China.
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Package
includes:
1.Pickup service
between airport to hotel.
2.Eighteen nights accommodation based on two persons sharing one
standard room in the five star hotel or best hotel in local city.
3.Flight tickets from Beijing/Xi’an/Lhasa/Chengdu/Guilin/Shanghai.
4.The admission of the first gate.
5.Beijing roast duck dinner and a Beijing Opera show, Shanghai Acrobatic
Show, dumpling dinner and Tang Dancing show in Xi’an.
6.Professional local guide
7.Meals indicated in the itineraries
8.Government taxes
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